Swell-shutter-controlling mechanism



Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcls.l y

JOHN T. AUSTIN, onnenTronn CONNECTICUT, AssIeNon To THE AUSTIN voncfAN i COllCIIIANY; OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION 0F CONNECTICUT.

` swELL-sHUTTnR-CoNTnoLLING MECIIANIsM.

. y Application filed February ot the tones produced within the swell box.

10 v My improved arrangement is characterized by its extreme simplicity in construe tion, by the tact that but a single opening or hole in the tracker bar, over which the music sheets pass, is required in 'connection' with the shutter controlling mechanism, and by its effectiveness in operation, particular ly in that any desired intensity ot sound within the capacity of the swell box may be obtained and the variations in intensity may be effected very gradually.

y In the present illustrative disclosure, the music sheet, which controls the playing mechanism, has an irregular or wavy edge of such contour as to control the hole with# q in the tracker bar associated with the shutter mechanism, so that the latter is opened or closed in accordance with the desired variations in loudn-ess. My invention also resides in the music sheet itself.

` In the accompanying drawing, I have shown, more or less diagrammatically, one embodiment which the invention may taire, it being obvious that this disclosure is by way of exemplication only, and that the structure is susceptible ot various modiiications andchanges which would be within the spirit ofthe invention without departing` from the scope ot the appended claimsjifor example, in this drawing, the pneumatic .for operating the shutter or shut-ters is shown as being directly controlled tronithe tracker bar, but, if desired, the means'tor operating the shutters may be in part electric and in d part pneumatic, and7 itpreferred,the pneut" matic illustrated may be controlled through a primary bellows. Various other arrange` ments may be adopted.

In said drawing: Figures 1 andv 2 show diagrammatic ore ganizations with the shutters in closed and partly open positions, respectively.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 10 designates a tracker bar having the usual holes 11, and 12 is a note sheet adapted to 3, v 1925.y serial No. 6,511.

pass over ythe tracker bary from one roll 13 lto the other oneand having note playing perforations 14. `The swell box, designated by the numeral 15, has an opening 16 in which is mounted the means for varyingthe volume ot the sound and which means may be in the form ot apivoted shutter or a plurality of shutters 17 connected together by a rod 18, In the present illustrative discld surey the shutter means is normally urged into open position by a. tension spring 19 connected to the upper end of theV rod 18, and the closing ot theshuttersagainst the tension of this spring is effected through a pneumatic or bellows 20. It is understood, however, that this arrangement may be reversed; that Vis to say, a spring may be eniployed to normally vurge the shutters into closed position and a pneumatic may be used for opening the shutters. l

The pressure within thepneumatic is con-` trolled by the note sheet 12,l and tothis end, the note sheet is provided with a wavy or irregular edge 22 adapted to cooperate with a port 23 in the end of the track-er bary and connected vby a tube 24 to the pneumatic 20. The pneumatic is connected by a bleed 25 to an'exhaust pipe or chamber 26. The bleed 25 is smaller than the opening through the' tube 24e, so that a range Vin pressure within the pneumatic from substantially atmospheric pressure, when the port 23 is totally uncovered, to the pressure obtaining within the exhaust' chamber 26, when the'po'rt 23 is totally covered, may be had. y y Y A rThe operation ot the arrangement described is briefly as follows: It is understood thatthe music sheet will be so constructed that the edge 22 thereof will undulate yor curve in `accordance with the increases and decreases in volume desired durii'igthe rendition ot' the selection.` In Vthose places where gradual changes in volume kare wanted, the edge or" the sheet will be gradually or slightly curved or inclined to the direction of trav-el of the sheet, and in case of desired quick changes in volume the edge will be more abruptly curved or inclined. As the music sheet passes over the tracker bar, the edge 22 of the former will control the `admission ot atmospheric pressure to the pneumatic or bellows 20. lVhen the music sheet entirely closes the port 23, as shown in Fig. 1, the pressure within the pneumatic or bellows 20 is brought substantially to that obtaining within the exhaust chamber 26, so that the bellows is collapsed against the force of the spring 19 and the shutters are moved in closed position. As the music sheet proceeds over the tracker bar from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2, the port 23 is gradually uncovered by the music sheet, permitting the air to pass through the tube 24: to the pneumatic, with the result that, as the force of suction within the pn-eumatic is gradually reduced, the shutters, under the influence ot the spring 19, will gradually open, which means that the musical sound issuing from the swell box will gradually increase in volume. l/Vhen the port 23 is totally uncovered by the music sheet, as would be the case when the music sheet advances to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, the pressure within the pneumatic will be substantially the same as atmospheric pressure, and the spring 19 will move the shutters to tull open position shown by dotted lines. It will be observed that the pull of the pneumatic on the shutters and spring 19 gradually grows less as the pneumatic collapses, because, as the pneumatic does collapse, the folds thereof offer greater resistance to the Jforce of suction therein. As the pneumatic collapses, the force of the spring becomes greater owing to its expansion. `The result is that the pneumatic and shutters will retain the various positions which they are caused to assume, so long as the pressure within the pneumatic remains constant.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawing, it will be seen that my invention provides for the utmost flexibility in the control of the expression ot the tonal qualities ot the pipes enclosed in the swell box. The volume of the sound issuing from the swell box may he gradually or abruptly changed so as to give the desired effects. This is brought about in a very simple and ellective manner.

As many changes could bermade in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments ot this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It desired, each of the side edges ot the music sheet may be irregular or wavelike, and shutter means 'for two swell boxes may be controlled by the respective edges.

lt is also to be understood that the language used in the -following claims is intended to cover all ot the generic and specilic features oit the invention herein described and all statements ot the scope ot the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

l claim as my invention:

1. ln combination, a swell box, shutter means'thereitor, operating means associated therewith, and means for controlling said operating means and including a music sheet with an irregular edge corresponding to the desired variations in the sound e'l'ected by said shutter means.

In combiiiation, a swell box, shutter means therefor, operating means associated therewith, a tracker' bar having a port through which said operating means is governed, and a music sheet adapted to pass over the tracker bar and having an uneven edge coiitrolling said port. i

3. ln combination, a swell box, shutter means therefor, pneumatic means operatively associated therewith, a tracker bar havingr a port through which Isaid pneumatic means is governed, and a music sheet havin0f a wavy edge controlling said port.

il. In combination, a swell box, shutter means therefor, a pneumatic operatively connected with said shutters, an exhaust chamY ber, said pneumatic havinga bleed opening leading to said chamber, a tracker har haiiing a port communicating with said pneumatic, and a note sheet controlling said port.

5. ln combination, a swell box, shutter means therefor, bellows operatively associated with said shutter means, a spring connected to said shutter means, and a tracker bar haif'ing a port through which said bellows is governed, said bellows and spring working in opposition and being' substanl tially balanced in all positions oi 'said shulters while the pressure within the bellows is constant.

(i. ln couibii'ialion, a swell box, shutter means therefor, a spring normally urging said shutter means to one position, pneumatic means operatively associated with said shutterI means and acting in opposition to said spring, tracker bar having a port through which said pneumatic means is governed, and a music sheet having a wavy edge controlling said port.

JOHN T. AUSTIN. 

